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Carmiel rabbi enraged by erotic show
Planned provocative performance by Moscow Theater dancers leads to angry responses in northern city. Cultural center says show intended for Russian-speaking population, mayor promises it won't include full nudity
Northern city shaken up over erotic show: "Forbidden Territory", a performance by the Moscow Theater dancers, which is scheduled to take place Monday in Carmiel's cultural center has led to angry responses.
The show, which is defined as an "erotic performance" in which the dancers perform on stage in a provocative display, has quite a few scenes in which male and female dancers appear completely nude, snuggling in front of the audience.
The show is restricted to people over the age of 18, but this has not stopped many of the city's public figures from expressing their anger over the planned event.
The city's Sephardic rabbi, Eliyahu Malka, slammed the show. "This is a shame and disgrace to the city of Carmiel. I strongly protest it," he said.
The Carmiel Municipality said that the cultural center, managed by Deputy Mayor Oren Milstein, was responsible for the performance. According to Milstein, a private impresario rented the auditorium for the show.
Rabbi Malka said that he was weighing his options against the show and that Mayor Adi Eldar had promised him in the past, verbally and in writing, that such a performance would not be displayed in Carmiel.
In other cities as well
Council Member Pinhas Siroka said, "In general, we are naturally not in favor of anything that is immodest and revealing taking place in public. When people do things in their own house, it's their private business, but I think there is no room for such a performance in public places. The municipality must not lend a hand to the display of such a show."
The cultural center said in response, "The cultural hall in Carmiel serves as a cultural center for the entire population of the city and its surroundings. Some of the center's events are performances held for its subscribed members, such as theater, dancing, music, children's shows and entertainment.
"The hall's staff is in charge of these events. Some of the events held at the cultural hall are held by private elements who rent the hall for an event or performance.
"The discussed show by the Moscow Theater belongs to a private impresario who rented the hall for the performance. The show is intended mainly for the Russian-speaking population. This performance has been displayed in other cities like Jerusalem, Ashkelon, Rehovot and Netanya."
The Carmiel Municipality said in response, "In accordance with an instruction issued by Mayor Adi Eldar, shows including full nudity are not performed at the cultural hall. The show's impresario was ordered to remove the full nudity parts of the show, and he promised the cultural hall that he would do so."
